4th graders from the Lincoln Akerman School in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire recently decided to figure out how to draft, advocate, and pass a bill in the State Legislature. What a great idea! Gain an understanding of how your state government works, not by reading about it, but by actually DOING some of the work. Pretty darn cool if you ask me.  Steve Benen at MSNBC writes:

The idea seemed pretty straightforward. The fourth-grade class, made up of 9-and-10-year-olds from the Southeast corner of the state, worked on a proposal to make the Red Tail Hawk the official State Raptor of New Hampshire. The kids and their teacher brought their proposal to the state capitol, and it was approved by the Environment and Agriculture Committee.

Can you imagine the excitement of these kids, their teacher and their chaperones as they watched all their research and work clear each hurdle? I’d bet they had poster boards full of carefully pasted on photos of the Red Tail Hawk, cut-outs of words, free-hand drawings, and note cards to help them in case they are asked questions. I can just picture about 30 4th graders dressed in their best, and doing their utmost to simultaneously take everything in and yet keep quiet when they are supposed to. Just think of their pride in themselves and in each other as lobbyists, other witnesses, and legislators complimented them on their efforts, and their absolute glee when their bill – THEIR BILL! cleared the Environment and Agriculture Committee and went to the NH House floor for the final vote.

Can you even imagine how hard it was to sit still and calmly,as much as any 4th grader can do calm could, watch as their bill proceeds to a vote? I mean, their WHOLE class got recognized by the entire State House of Representatives and now they are debating on the House floor!!